Greyhound Breeders Showing True Colors?

There have been long differing views of greyhound racing – those with a stake in its continued existence and those far more concerned with the humane treatment of those racing hounds. 

Anyone who knows me knows which stand I take.  Open your racing hymnal to page 1134 and recite after me: “We love our dogs” - insert statement <we love our dogs...>.

Recent articles have been published lately about the eventual demise of greyhound racing.  They seem to be cropping up more and more.  They start locally within the few states still racing, most especially when more and more legislation is being brought in to “decouple” racing from gambling venues (read: feed yourselves breeder-people).

A notable article just appeared in the New York Times.  This article, taking no sides, presents the bald truth of the situation the industry faces now.  Limited and further dwindling followers, more and more head to the flashing lights of machine gambling (let me personally guide them in that direction…).  I won’t recant a well-written story here and quoted better by others.  Read for yourselves and form your own opinion.

A more recent development is far more disturbing and one I take personally.  One with perhaps more sinister undertones.  While rants of blacklisting adoption groups who do not favor racing as a valid “industry” has been going on for years, dogs were always turned over to ready and able rescue groups.   Regardless of view.  The purpose was to HOME the dogs.

Side note: Let me remind you, by “dogs”, I mean intent-bred and trained greyhounds with a sole purpose of lining a bank account.  The hazy past of the industry dumping and shooting and eliminating non-producing racers, just a vague memory.

Today, that seems to have changed.  Changed with a very ugly turn.  A group I admire and support has been “officially” cut off from receiving racers no longer wanted.  Why?  Because they oppose racing.  Hm…aren’t they pretty much representing the general position of the populace? 

A conversation with a “representative” of the industry as a whole, a ranting (loose gun) breeder spells it out.  See a synopsis of that exchange here (starts out as "Well folks..."  happy to send a transcript). 

It’s not pretty, but it shows a real picture of the industry and their desperation.

This group is the first targeted.  It won’t be the last.  Double-edged sword, don’t you think?  Frees up more time for these groups to work on seeing an end to racing?  (Festus, that’s called shooting yourself in the foot…)

I’ll never understand the mentality of a breeder such as this, assuming this “Kristin” is of sound mind”.  Perhaps the imminent demise of racing has pushed her over the edge?  Ban all adoption groups if they don’t toe the “industry” line?  Honestly, loose guns like this woman will ban all groups they rely on to clean up their unwanted dogs.  And then there were none…

So what do they do with the dogs?  The ones they don’t take back to the farm to breed, perpetuating the cycle.  Not to ask a very obvious question, but, I really have to.  I can’t help but ask.

What DO they do with the ones no longer useful for breeding?  The ones they’ve milked their last litter out of.  What happens to that “stud” and “brood bitch”, as they’re lovingly called.  What happens to the ones not adopted? 

Better yet, what happens to them when the “industry” (breeders) limit the groups placing these dogs?

Come on!  Many groups have gone out at all hours of the night to bring in dogs being removed.  Long hard hours to save the lives of the hounds.  Now, some groups who worked so hard have been banned from receiving dogs.  Why?
 

Other groups are overcrowded.  Will the “industry” be back to shooting them again?  Undo all of the work and progress accomplished?  Small dents in protecting them as dogs and not products?

Listen, I haven’t minced words with how I felt about what is known as “the industry” in the past and I will not in the future.   More so now than ever.

My loves came from groups who have worked tirelessly, many non-gratis hours, to place these unwanted greyhounds.  The owners no longer want them, the trainers have little use and the breeders ask the question “who?”

Breeders are showing their hands (at least one has).  The welfare of the dogs has become secondary or tertiary.  Bank accounts and continuing the “industry” machine seem to be numbers 1 and 2.

Breeder Person – these two came from a group not favoring racing.  Had they not been rescued by this group, would you have shot them?